French doors are an exceptionally elegant and stylish way to open the interior of your home to the outdoors and invite in sunlight and spaciousness. They make a stunning yet functional transition from a family or dining room into a garden or veranda for gracious entertaining space, and leave the home feeling bigger and brighter.

Today’s French doors come in a variety of styles and options to match the decor of any home.  Whether you live in a historic property, a contemporary home, a country cottage, or a seaside villa, carefully selected French doors will enhance both the beauty and function of your abode and add a touch of distinctiveness at the same time.

Here are some factors to consider when selecting French Doors.

French Door Materials & Construction

Door Frame

French doors are most often constructed with either fiberglass, wood, or wood with aluminum trim around the windows panes.  While wood offers a natural warmth and comes in various hardwoods that can be painted or stained any desired shade or color, fiberglass is more durable to exterior elements.  Wood with aluminum trim can provide the best of both worlds while providing a stylish element to the door space.

Glass Panels

The signature piece of any French door is its glass paneling.  From staining to glazing, from bevelling to etching … the possibilities are as varied as they are numerous, and the artistic merits of each largely depends upon the personal style of both you and your home.  Couple these options with the myriad of window treatments available and you have and endless palette of choices available to you to create any look or style you might want to achieve.

Security & Durability

Equally important to the style and beauty of the glass paneling is its functionality, durability, and security.  Thanks to the marvels of modern technology, special-grade glass is now available to resist fracturing in even hurricane-force winds and to shatter instead of fragment into dangerously jagged pieces to avoid injury.  Most French door windows are also now insulated to avoid energy loss at the doorway.  And if you plan to use French doors at the rear of your home, consider high security hinges with multi-point locking systems.  Locking handles often come standard and fit restrictor hinges are also available which prevent damage to the doors in case of being blown open by strong winds or thrown open by energetic kids.

French Door Layout Styles

Though French doors are traditionally paired and hinged, there are many new designs which offer distinctive function and aesthetics for specific functions:

Folding French Doors

Multiple doors can be installed along the entire side of a house to create an extended panoramic view of the outdoors.  When these folded French doors are opened, it is as though the entire wall of the room has been removed leaving only the frame of the door entryway.

Expanded French Doors: Side & Top Windows

By adding window panes overhead and possibly along the sides of the doors, you can expand the appearance of the doors and the incoming light without adding additional opening space to the doorway itself.

Gliding or Sliding French Doors

These doors are a space-saving alternative to the traditional ‘paired & hinged’ design.  Instead of opening up the doors into the room interior, these sliding doors simply slide or glide aside much like a sliding glass door.  This configuration is an excellent choice for smaller rooms or balconies where space is at a premium.

Uses for French Doors

Patio Doors

Employing French doors as patio doors mean you can still enjoy a garden view even in inclement weather … or in the warmer months open them wide and use the patio as an extra room. By carefully selecting the right door options, you can combine security, ease of use, allow maximum light into the home to enable you to make the most of your patio entrance way.

Garden Doors

A French door is a stunning option for the back garden or veranda, offering a classic, elegant look while providing a wide and practical access into your home. Available in a range of sizes, colors and finishes to suit any style decor, they are an affordable option and allow you to relax or entertain in privacy and peace.

Interior Doors

Why limit French doors to a patio, deck, or balcony? Bring them inside your home to effortlessly close off one room from another when needed while still allowing a spacious and airy feel to the entire house.

If you are considering French doors for your home, do some research before making any major decisions. The outlay, though it may be considerable, will be well worth it.  As your new doors will last a lifetime, take the necessary time to choose a style that suits your home and one you will enjoy sharing with your family and guests.

Here at American Windows & Siding of VA, Inc., we enjoy helping people.  If you have any questions about French doors, patio doors, garden doors, sliding doors, or other door replacement questions of any kind … feel free to contact us anytime and we’ll do our best to answer all your questions!